One of the fastest growing areas of communications technology is related to automobile network solutions. An increasing number of mobile vehicles are being equipped with wireless communication devices, requiring vehicle manufacturers and dealers to have an efficient way for preparing a wireless communication device in an automobile before delivery to a new owner.
Because of the complexities in setting up network communications and instrument settings for an in-vehicle wireless communication unit, the business and information delivery methods among the vehicle and network device manufacturers, wireless carriers, communication services call centers and vehicle dealers may benefit from well-defined, coordinated procedures. The manufacturers of the wireless communication unit and the vehicle may load default information into the software of the communication unit. When a vehicle dealer receives a new vehicle, the dealer may need to initialize the communications unit in preparation for delivery to the new owner. The process of initializing the unit should be largely automated, straightforward and require little time.
When the new owner receives the mobile vehicle with an installed vehicle communications unit, the enrollment process for obtaining communication services from a call center should be efficient and uncomplicated. In addition, the user interface of the communication device should be easy to initiate and to use.
The processes of initiating and enrolling a vehicle communications unit need to be adaptable enough to make proper connections and set up services in alternative ways when preferred ways are unavailable. One preferred process utilizes over-the-air service provisioning (OTASP) specified in TIA/EIA/IS-683-A (1998), “Over-the-Air Service Provisioning of Mobile Stations in Spread Spectrum Systems.”
It is the object of this invention, therefore, to provide a method of activating an in-vehicle wireless communication system in an effective, efficient, user-friendly, and adaptable way, addressing the needs described above.